Listen back to features and interviews from 95bFM's daily news and current affairs show. Joel Armstrong, Castor Chacko, Oto Sequeira, and Caeden Tipler focus on the issues of Tāmaki Makaurau and elsewhere in independent-thinking bFM style. Monday-Thursday 12-1pm on 95bFM.
It's World Ocean Day! To celebrate, the vast and expansive Ocean, Trishil speaks to Associate Professor Travis Horton from the University of Canterbury about his research into Ocean protection with the use of satellite and drone technology.
We cover the technology, funding, and ocean acidification
A recently published paper titled 'Equity and other effects of a program facilitating and promoting active travel', investigated the implementation of walking and cycling infrastructure and run programs to promote and normalise active travel. Stella spoke with Dr Lee Beattie about the results, and what we can do with them.
Science has proven to be a key part of how Aotearoa’s society functions, but its importance isn’t reflected in the amount of funding allocated to research. Stella spoke with Dr Lucy Stewart, senior scientist and co-president of the New Zealand Association of Scientists about the recent budget's allocation of funding to research, and the intricacies of the research system.
Stella speaks to Dr Lucy Stewart about the state of the scientific research ecosystem in Aotearoa.
Trishil celebrates World Ocean Day by speaking to Associate Professor Travis Horton from the University of Canterbury about his research into Ocean protection with the use of satellite and drone technology.
Alex speaks with ACT party deputy leader Brooke Van Velden about the Government’s new Rural Health Strategy and ACT’s Housing Infrastructure Bill.
Stella speaks to Dr Lee Beattie about the walkability of towns in Aotearoa and the positive outcomes that can be achieved with programmes for active transport.
This week on the Wire, Christina and Jack did some deep dives on some hot-button topics.
In the wake of a string of mass shootings over the weekend, Christina looked into gun culture and gun control laws in the United States.
Jack looked into graffiti in Tamaki Makaurau. He spoke with graffiti artist CAPO, street art expert Dr Reuben Woods, and city councillor Shane Henderson.
Christina also had her regular catch up with Allan Blackman on Dear Science. This week, they discussed the imperial and metric systems, a super-reactive chemical that could change how we analyse the climate, and silk tags used to detect if medication is dodgy or not.
And finally, James Hita, a seabed mining campaigner from Greenpeace, called into the show to chat with Christina about a Greenpeace petition being delivered to Parliament on Wednesday.
In the past few months, following Auckland's long lockdowns, residents saw a boom in graffiti on public structures.
This has led to a lot of discussion about the artform, and its place in the cultural zeitgeist.
While everyone from artists to politicians to locals agree that graffiti on private residential property is vandalism, the conversation of painting on public structures like bridges and trains has been more divided.
Jack Horsnell spoke with Graffiti artist, CAPO, street art expert, Dr Reuben Woods and Auckland Councillor Shane Henderson to understand why this discussion is taking place.
In the wake of multiple deadly mass shootings in the United States, Christina did some research on the gun culture deeply entrenched in US society, as well as the political reluctance to introduce stricter gun legislation. Here is her report.
In April, Tuvalu's government reversed their decision to sponsor seabed mining in a huge win for environmental activists. Now, Greenpeace is delivering a petition to Parliament to urge politicians to ban the practice here in Aotearoa.
James Hita, a Greenpeace seabed mining campaigner, joined Christina live during the news hour to discuss the petition and what it means going forward.
The Clean Slate Act has recently been under discussion, as activists fight for the scheme to be extended to those who’ve been imprisoned.
The scheme currently allows criminal records to be sealed, drastically assisting former criminals with getting employed, becoming a tenant and getting a mortgage.
The scheme currently does not apply to those who've been imprisoned within their lifetime, instead focusing on those who have paid fines or undergone other forms of punishment.
To learn more about the scheme and how it could be changed, Liam spoke to Liam Martin, a Criminology professor at Victoria University of Wellington.
The Healthcare exec Brian Thompson was shot dead by a masked assailant last week.
The crime has gained significant controversy and attention online, with many using it to restart the debate on the inequities of the United States healthcare system.
And this week Yale University was the latest college to commit to divesting from weapons manufacturing after a student vote.
For State of the States this week Wire Host Caeden speak to Andre Fa’aoso from the Yale Daily News about both of these topics.
The government as announced their plan for the Cook Strait ferry a year after they scrapped Labour’s plan, including cancelling the ferries the Labour government had ordered.
And a new report from the Ministry of Social Development has revealed nearly a quarter of beneficiaries are not receiving their correct entitlements.
For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden speaks to Deputy Leader Carmel Sepuloni about both of these topics.
For City Counselling this week, producer Sofia caught up with Councillor Shane Henderson about proposed time-of-use charging to solve congestion problems in Tāmaki and Council selling their remaining Auckland Airport shares last week.
The Green party recently released He Ara Anamata - the Green party’s emissions reduction plan.
The document covers more than 10 areas of the economy and energy Sector that a Greens-led government would be looking to adapt to minimise carbon emissions and protect the natural landscapes of Aotearoa.
It also comes 5 months after the government released their own draft emissions plan. Numerous experts pointed out that the government is behind on their own plan’s targets to meet the crucial emissions budget for 2031-2035.
For their weekly catchup, Oto spoke to the Green Party’s Ricardo Menendez-March to discuss the party’s new emissions reduction plan and how they would address climate and the economy in a greens-led government.
Last election, one of the National Party’s main campaign promises was to be ‘tough on crime’, promising to increase police coverage and penalties for crimes. A target was set to increase the number of police officers by 500 by November 2025, however some police leaders today say this goal is unrealistic.
The government also announced this week some shakeups to insulation standards, which they say should make houses more affordable.
In our weekly catchup with the National Party’s Tom Rutherford, Wire host Castor spoke to him about police staffing targets and new insulation standards.
This week on Dear Science, our expert Doctor Cushla McGoverin chatted with us about what latrines teach us about people, climate variation affecting Chinese dynasties, and invasive species becoming threatened.
Thanks to MOTAT, the museum inspiring the innovators of tomorrow!
Last week it was revealed that two of the ten participants in the government's pilot bootcamp programme were on the run.
The youth were two months into the community rehabilitation phase of the programme, following the three month youth justice residence phase. Both teens were found in the weekend, but had allegedly reoffended, and are now set to come before the court.
For our weekly catch up with the ACT Party, who have been heavily advocating for this programme, Producer Evie spoke to Simon Court about this incident.
She also talks to him about proposed changes to employment law which would give employers the power to dismiss workers earning over $180,000 without the employee refuting the decision.
And finally, she talks to him about David Seymour’s incumbent run as Deputy Prime Minister, which is set to begin in May of next year.
For City Counselling this week, Producer Sofia spoke to Councillor Julie Fairey about changes to Auckland Transport’s responsibilities, nationwide bus and train fare hikes, and concerns over the opening of the City Rail Link.
For State of the States this week, Wire Host Caeden speaks to Andre Fa'aoso from the Yale Daily News about President Biden's decision to pardon his son Hunter Biden, who was due to be sentenced next week for three felony charges.
They also discuss Kash Patel, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for FBI director, who is the latest in a long list of unorthodox picks for government positions from Trump
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